Science in Society Laboratories

Are you interested in understanding the dynamics of public controversies around science and technology related issues? Do you want to learn to analyze them in an interdisciplinary environment? And what about developing the skills necessary to engage in debates where both scientific knowledge and societal values matter?

What is this course about?

Scientific knowledge and new technologies are changing our society. On the one hand they open up new possibilities to solve societal problems. On the other hand they often raise issues that have to be widely discussed, decided and regulated. Scientists from all disciplines should be capable to participate competently in these discussions.

At the same time, there is hardly any societal debate or political decision-making process that happens without considering scientific expertise. Scientific knowledge is expected to provide orientation and to lead to better solutions. Particularly when it comes to controversial topics, what counts as relevant and reliable knowledge, which societal values should be taken into account and in what ways all of this should be included in political decisions is at stake.

The aim of this course is to develop students' skill to identify actors' positions in controversial societal debates, to systematically analyze their relationship to scientific expertise and, based on this, to develop recommendations. This is a highly valued qualification in many areas of the contemporary labor market (e.g. policy advice, science communication etc.).

Health effects of Aluminium

Aluminium is a central material used in today's society. In recent years, several studies have reported about potential correlation between aluminium and diseases, such as cancer and dementia. The health effects of aluminium products are controversially discussed.

Mobile phone radiation

Mobile phones, mobile phone masts but also Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs) expose humans to high-frequency radiation in new forms. The effects on human health and their implications for the use of mobile phones and mobile communication in general are controversially discussed.

Antimicrobial resistance

Antibiotics are powerful drugs, which are used to treat bacterial infections, in both humans and animals. More and more bacterial strains are resistant to the treatment. Potential reasons as well as the effects on human health and the environment are therefore currently the focus of public and scientific debates.

Colony Collapse Disorder

Since the mid-2000s beekeepers across the globe observe a new and dramatic form of bee deaths (Colony Collapse Disorder). Unusually severe losses of colonies over the winter and the disappearance of worker bees diminish the bee population in many countries. Causes and consequences of this phenomenon are in the focus of an intense debate..

What happens in the course?

In this course students learn - in small interdisciplinary groups -to systematically map a current debate at the intersection of science, technology and society. Step-by-step and in close interaction with the lecturers the students will learn approaches and tools to analyze debates, apply them to a specific case study and receive feedback. They will search for documents, identify positions and conduct expert interviews. They will learn to prepare the results of their analyses in various formats, to present and discuss them. The assumed goal is to advise policy makers and help them to better understand the relationship between value positions and scientific expertise in a debate.

In this seminar we will work in three groups on the debates on the herbicide Glyphosat, the creation of ‚gene-drive mosquitoes’ to fight diseases like Malaria, and the search and establishment of permanent disposal sites for nuclear waste. We consider these debates as our “laboratory” in which the students investigate the interplay of science, technology and society. The case of the Colony Collapse Disorder in honeybees will be used by the lecturers to practically demonstrate the mapping of a specific problem.

Tutorial support is integrated into the course and will be provided throughout the semester.

The course will be held in English.

What will students learn in this course?

concepts and tools to analyze the interplay of science, technology and society

the application of these new skills in working on specific debates at the intersection of science, technology and society

techniques of searching for, assessing and preparing information

techniques and forms of presentation

thinking and collaborating in interdisciplinary spaces

the ability to reflect on one’s own disciplinary perspective and on the responsibility of science in society

the ability to understand and assess the entanglement of societal values and scientific expertise in the debates

For which study programs can I complete the course?

The course can be completed for modules in different study programs.

In the master program Chemistry the 10 ECTS can be completed in the „Modulgruppe Fachverbreiterung und Ergänzungsstudien“. In the master program Biological Chemistry the 10 ECTS can be completed in the „Wahlmodul Fachverbreiterung“. In the master program Chemistry & Technology of Materials the 10 ECTS can be completed in the „Wahlmodul“. In case of questions concerning the three master programs of SPL 27 please contact the study program director (Lothar Brecker).

In the master program Development Studies the 10 ETCS can be completed in the "Vertiefungsmodul 9 (VM9)".

In the master program Earth Sciences 10 ECTS will be approved in "Individual Electives" (MA-ERD-17.0).

In the master program Environmental Sciences you can attend the class as "free choice course".

In the master program Mass Media and Communication Science (2003 / 2017) the 10 ECTS will be recognized in “Free Electives” / “Individual Electives”.

In the master programs Molecular Biology (Molecular Biology; Genetics and Developmental Biology; Molecular Microbiology, Microbial Ecology and Immunobiology) the 10 ECTS credit points can be completed in the Elective Module Additional Scientific Qualifications for Biologists (=WZB) without the need for further inquiry with the study program director. For recognitions beyond that, please get in contact with the study program director.

In the master program Nutritional Sciences the 10 ECTS credit points can be completed for Module 9 and 10 (Practical Skills I and II), for Internship and Guided Courses I and II, as well as Praxis I and II. For recognitions beyond that, please contact the study program director.

In the diploma study program Pharmacy you can complete the course for the module "Free Electives".

In the master program Physics the 10 ECTS can be completed in the "Wahlmodul Interessen".

In the master program in Political Science you can complete the course for "M12 Wahlbereich".

In the master program Social and Cultural Anthropology you can complete the course for the module "Interessensmodul".

In the master program Sociology you can complete the course for the modules: 'MA F - Forschungsspezialisierung: Wissenschaftsforschung', or 'MA F - Forschungsspezialisierung: Kultur und Gesellschaft'.

If you have further questions please contact the respective study program director.

How will the students be graded?

Preparation of the readings and active participation in class

20%

assessed individually

Mapping and documentation of a debate along specific work assignments (in groups)

45%

assessed as group work

Writing a contribution addessed to a broader public

20%

assessed individually

Keeping a research diary

15%

assessed individually

Attendance is compulsory, in all sessions of the seminar as well as in all compulsory tutorials. The grading of the course is based on the separate assessment of different tasks on a scale of 1-5.